Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Heucheraxc3x97hybrida cultivar Hearts on Fire.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera plant, botanically known as Heucheraxc3x97hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Hearts on Firexe2x80x99.
The new Heuchera is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Heuchera cultivars having good plant vigor, dense and uniform plant habit; and showy and attractive flower and leaf coloration.
The new Heuchera was discovered by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Scottdale, Pa., from seedling progeny from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in May, 1999, of the Heucheraxc3x97hybrida cultivar Silver Maps, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Heucheraxc3x97hybrida selection identified as code number H98-13A, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Heuchera was selected by the Inventor in May, 2000. The selection of this plant was based on its desirable flower and foliage coloration.
Asexual reproduction of the new Heuchera by cuttings in a controlled environment in Scottdale, Pa., since September, 2000, has shown that the unique features of this new Heuchera are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Hearts on Fire has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Hearts on Firexe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Hearts on Firexe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera: 
1. Full, densely foliated and uniformly mounded plant habit.
2. Upper surfaces of leaves silvery in color; lower leaf surfaces red purple in color.
3. Numerous showy white-colored flowers arranged on mostly erect panicles.
4. Red purple-colored flower buds, peduncles and pedicels.
5. Excellent garden performance.
Plants of the new Heuchera can be compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Silver Maps. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa., plants of the new Heuchera differed from plants of the cultivar Silver Maps in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Heuchera were more densely foliaged than plants of the cultivar Silver Maps.
2. Leaves of plants of the new Heuchera had ruffled margins whereas leaves of plants of the cultivar Silver Maps did not have ruffled margins.
3. Flowers of plants of the new Heuchera had larger petals, shorter calyxes and longer pedicels than flowers of plants of the cultivar Silver Maps.
Plants of the new Heuchera can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa., plants of the new Heuchera differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Heuchera were shorter and more densely foliated than plants of the male parent selection.
2. Plants of the new Heuchera and the male parent selection differed in foliage, flower bud, peduncle and pedicel coloration.
3. Plants of the new Heuchera had longer inflorescences than plants of the male parent selection.
Plants of the new Heuchera can be compared to plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,066. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa., plants of the new Heuchera differed from plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Heuchera were smaller and more densely foliated than plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls.
2. Leaves of plants of the new Heuchera were smaller than leaves of plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls.
3. Leaves of plants of the new Heuchera had ruffled margins whereas leaves of plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls did not have ruffled margins.
4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Heuchera were shorter and more open than inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls.
Plants of the new Heuchera can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Jade Gloss, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,137. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa., plants of the new Heuchera differed from plants of the cultivar Jade Gloss in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Heuchera were smaller and more densely foliated than plants of the cultivar Jade Gloss.
2. Leaves of plants of the new Heuchera were smaller than leaves of plants of the cultivar Jade Gloss.
3. Leaves of plants of the new Heuchera had ruffled margins whereas leaves of plants of the cultivar Jade Gloss did not have ruffled margins.
4. Flowers of plants of the new Heuchera had larger petals than flowers of plants of the cultivar Jade Gloss.